Editing DAO (section)

=== Open source ===
Open source means, minimally, that the computer code that runs the technology the DAO uses is publicly available knowledge. Similar to transparency, open-source protocols are generally necessary in an open DAO because inasmuch as it is decentralized, all members are more or less equal. No member has privileged information. Without a more powerful leader, everyone in the network needs to be able to monitor everyone else. Everyone needs to have access to the knowledge of the architecture of the system in order to audit its functioning. This is not strictly necessary in a weighted democratic governance system, since certain members can have greater power than others. But inasmuch as such power disparities obtain, the DAO is less decentralized.

'''Maximal open-source''' tech means the legal right to use that technology is given away freely, without claiming any royalties, to anyone else who wishes to use it, for any reason. An example is the Apache license<ref><nowiki>https://www.apache.org/licenses/</nowiki> 

Retrieved 18/2/2023</ref>, which governs a significant portion of internet technology. The Apache license allows you to adapt their free tech and improve it. Moreover, you can then claim ownership of your improvements and demand royalties. Such maximal open-source protocols are not necessary for any DAO to adopt. However, it is good practice to assume your protocols will be maximally open source when designing a DAO, because the international character of any open DAO makes jurisdictional questions impractical to decide and enforce. Protecting your IP in this environment is better handled by using the first mover advantage, combined with the network effects that make your DAO more powerful than any later imitators. This works best when additionally, a culture of proper referencing evolves to acknowledge and fairly reward improvements from the past. Such meritocracy can promote a more effective collaboration environment than one which stresses competition and secrecy.